$2.8M in refunds to return to bike owners

BOSTON – More than $2.8 million in insurance refunds have been returned to Massachusetts motorcycle owners, Attorney General Martha Coakley announced last week.

Encompass Insurance Co. of Massachusetts, an Allstate subsidiary, Amica Mutual Insurance Co., and NGM Insurance Co., also known as Main Street America, all recently mailed payments to Massachusetts motorcycle owners under settlements previously reached with the AG’s office. Encompass sent $1.9 million in payments, Amica sent $837,384 in payments, and NGM sent $17,833 in additional payments after already sending more than $700,000 in payments in June 2011 under the same settlement. Combined, consumers have received a total of 10,137 checks from the three carriers within the past two weeks. Average refunds to consumers are around $280.

The payments are part of Coakley’s industry-wide investigation into motorcycle-rating practices, the release said. All 17 of the related settlements stem from a complaint the AG’s office received from a consumer who owned a 1999 Harley-Davidson Road King Classic. In each year between 2003 and 2008, the consumer’s insurance company calculated the consumer’s premiums as if his motorcycle were brand new and worth $20,000.

According to the release, since 2010, 17 insurance companies have settled with the Coakley’s office, resulting in more than $42.8 million in refunds to motorcycle owners. •

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